Arch supporter



Patented Aug. 22,` e i933 UNiTEDf-fsrgres e. AThis invention relates toarch-supporters vfor shoes, and Vmorelparticularly is an improvementover devices .illustrated vand described in my co-pending United Statesapplication for patent,

filedV February 26, 1929Serial No.. 342,869, for

which Letters Patent 1,844,017 issued Feb. 9, 1932. In such priorapplication, I have particularly illustrated and described in'detail thedevelop.-

` ment of a shoe conformed to present a transverse ridge peculiarlydisposed inamanner such that the astragalus bone of a wearers foot issupported .without aieeting Veitheru'tlrie freedom ,of

lthe'vheelfbone, or the scaphoid and tarsal struc; ture constituting theinstepl and toes.k A

The distinction is particularly set forth in lsuch construction of asupport peculiar to the astragalus bone asv against .thel conventionalarchV supporters `heretofore utilized, suchlatter being conformed in aconvex coniiguration'emigrating adjacent the metatarsal bones and.terminating in proximity of the rear of the heel. n

. Such/constructions alford but' temporary relief and culminatein .A anossied condition of the 'bones due to the cramping of the Vbonestructure of the foot. 7 f

The present invention, as with my prior .appli-k "cation, kis 'conceivedto the end of allowingta Vfreedom of heel and tarsal bones byaifordingasubstantial rocker activity ofthe same-about an astragalussupport. Recognition being taken of .the fact that the operationofwalking consists in the successive-steps of initially coming down onthel heel and centralizing the weight ofthe body directly over the arch,with a subsequent release and av tread tothe ball of the footasthesucceeding step is taken, the primary objectof Athe "presentinventionover my prior'applicationis the `provision of an insertable archsupportembodying a: yielding heel rest in cushioning'the initial impacttothe ground. v A further object is the provision, in insertable archsupporters of the character described, 'of means for securely attachingthe same to the upper of the shoe, in a mannerk such as to preventshifting or creeping responsive to walking operations.

Witlithe foregoing and further objects and advantages in view, such aswill become apparent throughout the course vof the following detaileddescription and claims, the invention consists in the novelconstructionfadaptation and combination of parts hereinafter Vdescribedand claimed.

In the drawing,-

Figure 1 is an underneath 'plan indicating the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.

Fig.` 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through a portion of 'ashoe,v the present invention, indicated inside.elevationjbeing appliedtherein, said view exemplifying by ldash liiiesth'eV contour of theankle and footl indicating the bone formation thereof as applied to theshoe and arch supporter.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken to ya rreduced scale ofthe arch supporter removed,y saidsection takenonline 3-.-,3 of Fig..Y 1,with thev exceptionthat the lattachment,stripV of the saine A `Referencebeing had'vtoliig. 2, representing therein the bone-contour of a humanfoot,Y the tarsal or instep structure. e, j ,y

VMore particularly referring thereto,` the os'calcis vor heel bone isnormally disposed atan elevation below thatrofthescaphoid 8, beingspaced therefrom at its'innerl side to provideia lrecess 10 within whichthe fleshy part of .the underfoot Y extends, said recess progressivelyincreasing from the outer edge-` of the foot.

According tothe present invention, lIplrovide an insertable insolemember, such as generally represented by '11,,-the bearing portionthereof on the. sole 12 of the shoeproper' being stamped from a singlepiecev of leather or other suitable material and pressed toprovide 'aplane faced heel `13.jogged upwardly at its forward end; and affording aWall 15 disposed at an angularity of I approximately thirty degrees fromthe vertical.

Said wall, moreover, terminatesfin a shoulder or ridge portion 16extending transversely ofthe insert, gradually diminishing from theinner 'to a point ademt @einer Side, wherea 'ne sami@ merges yto thevapproximate upper plane vof the projection upwardly to the astragalusand tibia bones, a fulcrum affording rocker activity-and .11

extreme' flexibility to the os calcis and the tarsal structure of thebone.

, Said particularV and advantageous configura? tion of theinsert issuitably retained through heel. Said ridge, having a relatively lsmallradius," `is comparatively sharp, and constitutes inits the medium of ametal brace 17 rigidly'secured, 1

as byV shoe nails, to the underneathface and suitably conformed such asto have lits upper tive proximity to the ridge, the fore portion .V19

of insole 11 being beveled therebeyond to merge .be cemented to the faceof heel portion 13 and the strip 22.

Projecting laterally from `said portion 19,*1 further provide a wing 24disposed such as to accommodate a turn-up of the saine within the instepof the shoe upper, said wing being adapted to be sewed thereto about itshorizontal and vertical edges in the preventionr of shifting 6rYcreeping. Y Y

, The construction is believed evident from the foregoing. While I'havelhereindescribed and illustrated the preferred'embodiment, it is to benoted however, thatfI do not particularly confine-myself thereto exceptas by the scope of the rhereto annexed claims.

What I claim, is,- l. Inaril insertable insole for a shoe formed Atoprovide in its rear portion Sa substantially plane face Aadapted to bedisposed in the heel portion of the shoeythe front wall of said `heelportion extending substantially verticallyv up- Wardlyk to a transverseridge from which the fore portion projects forwardly to the ball of theshoe, -the apex ofl said ridge forming arelativelyisharp angleserving towedge into the lieshy part of the underfoot below the astragalus bone,said ridge Asloping downwardly from the .inner to the outer edge tomerge atv the latter with the approximate plane ofsaid rear portion, asponge cushion superposed over vsaid rear portion to act as a rest forlthe heelof the foot, said cushion tapering from av plane relativelyY inalignnrient with the inner'edge of the ridge to .a Vfeather edge on itsouter side.

' '2. Ina device as defined in cla-im 1, wherein the frontv wall,transverse ridge, and'forward Aplatform vof said insertable vinsole `areretained by a metal brace secured to the underf-acethere- Yof andapproximating the contour of the same.

3. In apparatus as dened in'Y claim l, wherein said insole'is conformedto present a wing projecting laterally of the forward platform, saidWing being adapted to a'turn-up within the' instep portion of the shoeupper for securing said Wing to the saine.V Y, Q

4. In an insole forv a shoe formed to provide a plane surface in itsrear portion seating within the heel cavity lof the shoe, said heelsurface being turned up at its `forward extremity to form a relativelysharp transverse ridge, progressing therefrom as a platformv beneath theinstep of -a wearers foot, said ridge sloping downwardly from the innerto the outer edge and adapted to rear portion a cushion for the heel ofthe wearers foot, and at the fore extremity of said cushion, atransverse ridge having a relatively sharp apex arranged to wedge withinthe fleshy part of theY foot below the astragalus bone, said cushion andridge sloping 'downwardly from the inner to the Vouter side ofthe shoe:

6. In an insertable arch supporter for a shoe, said supporterbeingconforrned to present a ridge projecting upwardly to havethe-Aapexthereof in substantial vertical alignment with a centerlinetaken through :the tibia andA a'stragalus bones` of a wearers foot,`saidsupporter projecting forwardly from saidA ridge '-,as a platformadapted to support the instep portion of the wearers v foot,arilexiblevving extending Vlaterally of said platform and adapted toberturned "up and vsecured alongsidetheinterior ofv the'shoe upper inpreventing shifting of saidl supporter within the shoe. ,Y j

7. In an insertable arch supporter for a shoe, said supporterbeing'conformed to present aridge projecting upwardlyto' have Vthe apexthereof in substantial vert'ical'alignment with a centerline takenthrough the tibia and astr'agalusf'bones of a wearers foot, `saidVsupporter projectingY forwardly from said ridge as a `platform,adaptedto its supportjthe instep portion ofthe wearers -foot,

means for V,securing said supporterA to the shoe to prevent shifting ofthesarne therein.

8. In an insertable 'arch supporter for a shoe, 'said supporter formed'to provide a transverse ridge disposed belowthe'astraga'lus bone of a'wearers foot, a'flexi'ble wing extending laterally of said supporter andadapted to be turned up for securernent alongside thev interior of the-shoe upper to prevent shifting of said supporter within the shoe.

9. In an 'insertable arch supporter for a shoe including a heelcushion,'said supporter formed to provide an abutment to the heel boneof a wearers footf'orwardly of the heel portion of, the shoeto preventcreeping of said heel conectowards the fore portion ofthe shoe, means'cornprising a iiexible wing extending laterally of said irsV supporter:and adapted for securernent with the shoe toeprevent shifting of thesupporter in the shoe. Y

` LUIGI PIQNANELH. e

